How to Use French Demonstrative Adjectives

French demonstrative adjectives are essential for pointing out specific objects or ideas in conversations. They correspond to "this," "that," "these," and "those" in English, but their usage in French requires attention to gender and number agreement.

The Four French Demonstrative Adjectives

• Ce (masculine singular)
• Cette (feminine singular)
• Cet (masculine singular before a vowel or silent h)
• Ces (plural for both masculine and feminine)

Usage Rules

Gender Agreement

Demonstrative adjectives must agree in gender with the noun they modify:

• Ce livre (this/that book) - masculine
• Cette table (this/that table) - feminine

Number Agreement

For plural nouns, use "ces" regardless of gender:

• Ces livres (these/those books)
• Ces tables (these/those tables)

Special Case: Cet

Use "cet" for masculine singular nouns beginning with a vowel or silent h:

• Cet arbre (this/that tree)
• Cet homme (this/that man)

Adding Precision

To differentiate between "this" and "that," add "-ci" (here) or "-là" (there) after the noun:

• Ce livre-ci (this book here)
• Cette table-là (that table there)

Examples in Context

• J'aime beaucoup ce restaurant. (I really like this restaurant.)
• Cette idée me plaît. (I like this idea.)
• Cet acteur est célèbre. (This actor is famous.)
• Ces fleurs sont magnifiques. (These flowers are beautiful.)
• Prenez ce train-ci, pas celui-là. (Take this train here, not that one there.)

Remember, mastering demonstrative adjectives will significantly enhance your ability to communicate precisely in French, allowing you to point out specific objects or ideas with ease.